This is a day the Church sets aside for honoring Mary, the
mother of Jesus. It is also the day on which ladies with the name of Mary
celebrate their feast day. The feast is based on a story that told how Mary as
a young girl was presented at the Temple of Jerusalem as a virgin.

The story is found in the so-called Gospel of the Apostle
James, and it appeared late in the Second Century. Origen, in the Third Century,
referred to it, saying it was not factual. There was no First Century custom,
of presenting virgins to the temple.

Christians in the Middle Ages were very fond of this story.
Tintoretto left us a great painting of a four-foot high Mary being presented to
a seven foot tall high priest.

Since this is really just a day for Christians to lovingly look
up to Mary, we can honor her with a hymn.